ems.4 THE tree Vol. 70, No.2 Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, Mass.01342 OCTOBER 20, 1995 14_2 BOMB THREAT PUTS DEERFIELD ON TWENTY-FOUR HOUR ALERT field Fire Chief, convened in the Memo- residents had been informed of the 7:45 Chad Laurans 1-3 rial Building Lobby to develop a course AM school meeting on Monday morning, A blow to Deerfield's rural utopian of action. which would serve to explain the circum- image was recently dealt in the form of a Evacuation, although an option, stances to the rest of the school. 6-5... IrlYsierious bomb threat, delivered over the would have been implausible given that Only one dormitory was disturbed phone to an dispatch cen- the bomb threat did not specify a location; on the night of the bomb threat. The stu- — ter unlisted police at 10:55 PM Sunday, October 8. The thus all 700 students, faculty, and staff dents of McAlister overheard Mr. Widmer Phone have been moved off late Sunday night when he came in per- r to call, a 911 emergency call routed would have had to the Shelburne Falls station, police campus. Instead, a group consisting son to explain the situation to faculty resi- !Peculate, was then traced to a pay phone largely of Deerfield security officers, cus- dents Naoko Akiyama and Brenda Hanlon. just outside faculty, and administrators set When the students became nervous, Mr. _in of Rich's Department Store todians, Greenfield. The not disturb about the formidable task of searching the Widmer returned to talk with them and the threat did following entire school for evidence of a bomb. assure them that they were at an extremely the class day, as the nature of threat put it in the "prank" Bomb experts from the State Police low risk. thus category; it was not deemed a great enough said that it is hard to take this kind of threat The police, Deerfield security offic- safety concern to warrant disrupting seriously, with no demands or reasons ers, custodians, and several members of classes. given for the bomb threat, and indeed, no the faculty, including Mr. Murray, spent a A mechanical and monotone, pos- context in which to view it. "The police large portion of the night searching all of sibly vast majority of cases the Deerfield buildings for evidence of a computer generated, voice stated told us that in the photo by Ross Campbell S1Mr+yy that a explode at when there is a threat, particularly when bomb. "It caused some anxiety," Mr. bomb was set to The Parker Technology Center will be dedicated Oct. 28. resineerfield Academy within the next it's attached to no conditions, that it's just Murray commented,"but more than any- ttWentYf0. I on hours. Deerfield Academy's a prank," said Mr. Widmer. Nonetheless, thing else, by the end we were all ex- Coa° security was notified by the "the threat had to be taken seriously," and hausted." There were not too many tense fiel immediately $13 Million Dedication Weekend: ie S.helbume Falls Police, as were the Deer- all faculty members were systematically moments, he said, they just wanted to get ; junio field Police. Headmaster Eric Widmer, notified late that night to check their dor- it all cleared before classes started the next eetlaJssociate Dean of Students Stephen mitory corridors for any signs of tamper- morning. Koch's Natatorium and Parker s•TlMurray, Director of Safety David Lizek, ing in the hallways, common rooms, and "We owe an enormous debt to the y qd and the Head of Physical Plant Paul basements. In addition, switchboard op- custodians," said Mr. Widmer,"they know Technology Center Reach Completion ye de 8eruhe, along with members of the Deer- erator Jane Keplinger stayed on duty all those buildings better than anyone, and tion squash courts as well as men's and field Robert Dunphy Police, State Police, and the Deer- night making sure all dormitory faculty continued on page 9 women's locker rooms for the pool. In- iing It is thirteen million dollars worth cluded in the price tag for this new facil- of brick, steel and concrete. That's the new ity is the renovation of the old pool into Howell and Flewelling Co-Chair Natatorium to be dedicated Saturday, Oc- an all purpose room, as well as the reno- tober 28, at six o'clock, named after David vation of the East gym. The thirteen mil- H. Koch '58. But that's not all. lion dollars needed to complete the project Committee on the Deerfield Day Another dedication ceremony will came mostly from private donations. Ap- take place preceding that of the Natato- proximately two and-a-half million dol- rium. The ceremony will take place Fri- lars was extracted from the endowment. day, October 27 at six thirty. A half-mil- The architecture of the Natatorium Mandate to Examine Life Out of Class lion dollar renovation of the original com- complements that of the rest of the Deer- viewpoints over a broad range of topics. committee would like to make Deerfield puter center has separated it into two field Academy campus. As Michael C. Hollin Calloway The committee has had only one a bit more humane in that sense. floors. The top will be used by the fac- Sheridan, business manager and director The newly created schedule, has meeting to date, therefore no specific goals Flewelling explained that the charge ulty, the bottom by students. The new cen- of the Natatorium's construction, remarks, turned the Deerfield day into a popular have been proposed at this time. The com- of the committee is broad, and "the goals ter, given by George M.Parker in memory "[the new pool]is a wonderful facility and topic of discussion. The hectic schedule mittee intends to examine how the lives are to review what we do at Deerfield, of his brother Thomas G. Parker '58, is a it was designed to make a transition from Of the Deerfield day, both in and out of of faculty and students are spent outside keep the things that are good, and expand great leap in Deerfield Academy's efforts the lower level to the upper level." ,t1 Class, think make Deerfield work." to incorporate ne W• has prompted Headmaster Eric of the classroom. "Too often, students are things we more technology into its Both dedication ceremonies will be to appoint Assistant Headmaster put in the middle and are expected to be Another more philosophical goal is for education. It will offer access to the attended by the Academy's Board of Trust- Rebec-eccaca Flewelling and physics teacher in two places at one time. We need to re- students to develop an interest and enthu- Internet and both Coordinator of Academic ees and will symbolize the official open- e 1300 °avid Howell as co-chairs on the Com- duce that," Howell said. The pace at Deer- siasm about knowledge and learning that Technology Richard Bonanno and Admin- ings of the buildings. Students and fac- ton °, Mittee on the Deerfield Day. It will focus field is another topic of concern, as Howell expands beyond the classroom. The com- istrator of the Computer Network ulty have yet to see the inside of the new flog, `an the [ "entirety of daily life outside of the described,"we're concerned that students mittee will focus on "what values, knowl- Raymond Rousseau have set up office computer facility; following the dedica- academic day," as Howell explained. The are starting work too late, not sleeping edge, and lifelong skills we want students there. tion they will at long last have the us eTninittee is composed of a diverse group enough, and that faculty and students are to leave with," and "how to accomplish As for the Natatorium, it is one of opportuniy to do so. It is the hope of many Lidifi6 faculty members who have a variety of often pulled in different directions." The our goals over a student body of nearly the finest new facilities of any New En- that Saturday the twenty-eighth's water 600 students when each is an individual, gland prep school. Named for Mr. Koch, polo games will take place in the unbro- continued on page 10 its major contributor, it contains a lap pool, ken waters of the Natatorium, preceding unni7, a diving tank, three international regula- its dedication. iat on't sa You KNOW? Ch DID New Officers and Representatives Petra, Jordan, year, Will be the destination of one Deerfield student and one Deerfield fac- e ch3' ,411 member this coming summer of 1996. At the convocation ceremony on Join tie Deerfield Student Council q ;,)ePtember 17, 1995, Mr. Widmer announced that these two representatives of retary; ii thel ,"eerfield- would be allowed to attend an archaeological excavation this summer Suzanna Filip and Brooke Gonzalez, treasurer. as they did. I think it shows the spirit and ne 1,..r1 Petra. The process of selection will begin within the next two weeks, and the Joining them as of Friday night are Leslie enthusiasm that reflect their attitudes to- 1_111a1 decision will be made by the end of the fall term. Applications will be out The Student Council has begun to Keller and Al Robertson. Helping them ward Deerfield," stated treasurer rivs .t nu,and the selection committee is looking for any student at Deerfield Acad- plan this year's events. However, to do this year to plan their events is Elizabeth Gonzalez. 'AMY. The work at the excavation would last from June through the month of so they must first elect new officers for McNamara President Muldoon has big plans for ugus the freshman and sophomore classes as The sophomore class did not have the sophomore class this year.